Medicinal applicators



D. RONCO Feb. 20, 1968 MEDICINAL APPLICATORS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 30, 1965 INVENTOR. DENNIS RONCO ATTORNEY Feb. 20, 1968 D. RONCO MEDICINAL APPLI GATORS Filed March 30, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. DENNIS RONCO ATTORNEY 3,369,543 MEDICINAL APPLICATORS Dennis Ronco, Roseto, Pa., assignor to Deron Inc., West Easton, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Mar. 30, 1965, Ser. No. 443,855

. 19 Claims. (Cl. 128269) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A medicinal applicator comprising a resiliently deformable, hollow casing containing a liquid medicinal substance and having a neck opening at one end is provided with an absorbent wick member projecting axially from the neck and being frictionally retained either in the neck itself or in a sleeve which is removable with the wick member from the neck, and passages extend along, and are defined in part by the surface of the Wick member to vent the interior of the casing to the atmosphere and to supplement the capillary transmission of the medicinal substance through the wick member when the casing is deformed by squeezing.

This invention relates generally to applicators for liquid medicinal substances, for example, antiseptic solutions such as tincture of iodine, Mercurochrome, and the like.

Heretofore, antiseptic solutions and other liquid medicinal substances to be applied externally have been contained in a glass bottle or the like having a removable stopper or cap provided with a depending glass rod which extends into the body of liquid medicinal substance in the bottle when the stopper or cap is positioned thereon. When the stopper or cap is removed from the bottle, it acts as a handle by which the glass rod can be manipulated to contact the wounded or other desired area of the skin for applying thereto the antiseptic solution or other liquid medicinal substance adhering to the rod. The described existing arrangement for applying liquid medicinal substances to external areas of the body is disadvantageous in that the amount of the antiseptic solution or other liquid medicinal substance adhering to the glass rod upon removal from the bottle decreases as the level of liquid medicinal substance in the bottle declines through use thereof so that it becomes diflicult to apply sufiicient quantities of the medicinal substance to the affected skin or other external area. Further, the glass rod frequently becomes detached from the stopper or cap in which case the supply of liquid medicinal substance in the bottle can no longer be applied conveniently even though a substantial quantity thereof may still remain. The glass bottle and glass applicating rod are not capable of withstanding rough handling or usage, and thus are subject to breakage when stored under conditions where rough handling or careless contact with hard objects is likely to occur, for example, in the glove compartments of auto- 'rnobiles. Further, most scrapes, superficial cuts and other skin injuries requiring the application of an antiseptic solution are inflicted by contact with the ground, pavement or other instrumentality which deposits dirt or grit in the wound so that it is necessary to cleanse or scrub the wound for removing the dirt or grit prior to the application of the antiseptic solution by the conventional glass applicator rod.

It is an object of this invention to provide applicators for storing and applying liquid medicinal substances which avoid the above mentioned disadvantages of the conventional arrangements heretobefore used for the stated purposes.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide an applicator for a liquid medicinal substance,

States Patent which applicator is substantially unbreakable even when subjected to severe shocks, and is capable of storing a substance quantity of a liquid medicinal substance in a leak-proof manner and of applying such substance to any desired external surface area of the body, for example, to a scrape, abrasion or cut.

A further object is to provide an applicator which, when it contains an antiseptic solution, can be employed for scrubbing or cleansing a scrape, abrasion, cut or other wound, as well as for applying the antiseptic solution thereto.

A further object is to provide an applicator of the described character which permits the application of the contained liquid medicinal substance at a controlled rate, as the circumstances require, and which is capable of discharging substantially the entire quantity of liquid medicinal substance contained therein, so as to avoid waste of the liquid medicinal substance.

In accordance with an aspect of this invention, a medicinal applicator generally comprises a hollow casing of resiliently deformable material, for example, of a relatively soft polyethylene, a quantity of antiseptic solution or other liquid medicinal substance contained in the casing, and an absorbent wick member projecting from the casing for the capillary transmission of the liquid medicinal substance therethrough to a desired area of application, for example, the area of a skin abrasion, scrape or cut, with the rate of fiow of the liquid medicinal substance through and around the wick member being accelerated or increased by squeezing of the resiliently deformable casing.

The wick member which projects from the casing for transmitting the liquid medicinal substance to the affected skin area can be conveniently employed for scrubbing or cleansing such area, for example, for removing dirt or grit from a scrape or skin abrasion to which an antiseptic solution is being applied. In order to make possible the cleaning of the wick member for removal of coagulated blood, dirt or foreign substances therefrom, for example, by rinsing under a water tap or by immersion in a sterilizing solution, the wick member may be mounted in the casing so as to be conveniently removable therefrom. In accordance with a feature of this invention, convenient removal of the wick member is ensured by retaining the latter in a sleeve or holder which is frictionally held in the bore of a neck or terminal portion of the casing.

In one embodiment of this invention, the antiseptic solution or other liquid medicinal substance impregnates or saturates an absorbent body, for example, of cellulose fibres, which substantially fills the resiliently deformable casing so as to have the liquid medicinal substance expressed therefrom upon squeezing of the casing, and the inner end of the wick member contacts the absorbent body for receiving the liquid medicinal substance therefrom.

In another embodiment of this invention, a partition extends across the casing adjacent the inner end of the wick member and has a minute opening therein so that the surface tension of liquid medicinal substance con tained in the casing normally prevents the flow thereof through the minute opening into the wick and flow of the liquid medicinal substance through the opening is achieved in response to an elevated pressure within the casing resulting from the squeezing thereof.

Still another object of this invention is to provide antiseptic solutions particularly adapted for use in applicators of the type described above by reason of the fact that such solutions can be transmitted, by capillary action, through the wick member of the applicator without clogging the same, and have an improved cleansing action J when the wick is used for cleaning or scrubbing a wound or abrasion.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of this invention, will be apparent in the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawing,

wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of an applicator for liquid medicinal substances in accordance with an embodiment of this invention, which applicator is shown with its cap removed;

FIG. 2 is an axial sectional view of the applicator of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 3-3 on FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along, the line 44 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view corresponding to the lower portion of FIG. 2, but on an enlarged scale and showing a modification of the applicator;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to that of FIG. 2, but showing another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view corresponding to the lower portion of FIG. 6, but on an enlarged scale and showing a modification of the embodiment of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to that of FIG. 7, but showing still another modification in accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, it will be seen that an applicator for liquid medicinal substances in accordance with one embodiment of this invention, as there illustrated and generally identified by the reference numeral 10, includes an elongated hollow casing 11, which is shown to be tubular, and which has a reduced neck 12 extending from one end and formed with external threads 13 for engagement with threads (not shown) within a closing or sealing cap (FIG. 1). In accordance with this invention, the container 11 is formed of a resiliently deformable or flexible plastic material, for example, soft polyethylene, and ,at least the side wall of the casing has its thickness dimensioned so that the casing can be easily squeezed to reduce the interior volume thereof.

The casing 11 is intended to contain .a substantial quantity of a liquid medicinal substance, for example, an antiseptic solution, and, in the embodiment of the invention being described, the antiseptic solution or other liquid medicinal substance saturates or impregnates an absorbent body 15 (FIGS. 2 and 4) which substantially fills the interior of casing 11. The absorbent body 15 may be conveniently formed of felted cellulose fibres and is inserted axially into casing 11 through the end of the latter remote from reduced neck 12,. whereupon such end of casing 11 is closed by an end wall 16 (FIG. 2) which may be spin-welded or ultrasonically welded to casing 11.

The applicator further includes an elongated wick member 17 formed of a compressed body of felted ab-' sorbent fibres, and which extends axially through neck 12. The wick member 17 is dimensioned longtiudinally so that, when its inner end is in intimate contact with absorbent body 15, for example, pressed into the adjacent end of body 15, as shown on FIG. 2, the opposite end of the wick member projects substantially beyond neck 12. By reason of the contact of the inner end of wick member 17 with absorbent body 15, the wick member receives liquid medicinal substance from the body and transmits such liquid substance, by capillary action, along wick member 17 to the outer projecting end of the latter. Thus, the outer projecting end of wick member 17, which may be cut obliquely, as shown, or given any other desired configuration, can be contacted with a scraped, abraded or cut area of the skin surface to paint such area with the antiseptic solution or other liquid medicinal sub- 4 stance transmitted by capillary action through the wick member.

By reason of the resiliently deformable character of the material forming the casing 11, which permits squeezing of the latter, it is possible to control the rate of flow of the antiseptic solution or other liquid medicinal substance through'wick member 17 and onto the affected area. When casing 11 is squeezed to reduce its interior volum and thereby create an elevated pressure therein, such elevated pressure promotes an increasedrate of flow of the liquid medicinal substance through wick member 17 and onto the affected skin area contacted by the outer end of the latter.

As shown particularly on FIGS. 2 and 3, the wick rnember 17 may be advantageously held in a sleeve or tubular holder which is frictionally retained in the bore of neck 12 and whichhas a rim 19 at its outer end for limiting the extension of sleeve 18 into the neck. The rim 19 is preferably undercut so that the users fingernails can engage between the rim 19 and the adjacent end edge of neck 12 to facilitate the removal of the sleeve or holder 18 and its wick member 17 from the neck of casing 11. The removed wick member. can be easily cleaned, for example, by being held under a water tap or by submersion in a sterilizing solution, so as to remove coagulated blood, dirt, grease or other foreign substances therefrom. The removability of the wick 17 further permits replacement of the same, for example, when it is desired to change the shape of the outer end or operative tip thereof.

Alternatively, as shown on FIG. 5, the sleeve or holder 18 may be omitted, and the wick member 17 is then crosssectionally dimensionedso as to engage closely in, and

be frictionally held directly in the bore of neck 12.

In either case, that is, whether the wick member 17 is mounted in a sleeve or holder 18 frictionally held in neck 12 or the wick member is mounted directly in the neck 12, the wick member is preferably given a polygonal crosssectional shape, for example, a rectangular cross-section as shown on FIG. 3, so that gaps or passages 20 are defined between the flat sides of the wick member and the adjacent cylindrical surface of the sleeve 18 or neck 12. Such passages 20 open to the atmosphere at the outer or projecting end portion of the wick and serve to vent the interior of casing 11 to the atmosphere.

As shown on FIG. 4, the interior surface of casing 11 is preferably formed with axially extending ribs 21 establishing limited areas of contact of the wall of casing 11 with the absorbent body 15 therein. Passages 22 are defined between the adjacent ribs 21 so as to establish substantial communication between the closed end portion of the casing and the venting passages 20 running along wick member 17. The ribs 21 perform the further function of localizing the pressures applied to the absorbent body 15, when the casing 11 is squeezed, so as to promote the expressing of the liquid medicinal substance from the body 15 for accelerated flow thereof through wick member 17. Such accelerated flow of the liquid medicinal substance occurs not only through the wick member 17 but also over the surfaces of the latter through the gaps 20. Thus, by squeezing the resiliently deformable casing 11, it is possible to apply substantial quantities of the antiseptic solution or other liquid medicinal substance to the affected skin areas.

Referring now to FIG. 6, it will be seen that, in an applicator 10a in accordance with another embodiment of this invention, the liquid medicinal substance is contained as a free body of liquid L within the container 11a of resiliently deformable plastic, rather than saturating or impregnating an absorbent body, as in the previously described embodiments. The container 11a is initially closed only at one end thereof, as by an end wall 16a, so that rapid filling of the container with the liquid L may be conveniently effected through the other end of the container. Such other end of the container is closed,

after the filling thereof, by a head 23 which is permanently secured to container 11a so as to form an integral part thereof. The permanent attachment of the head 23 to the container 11a may be effected by spin-welding, in which case, as shown particularly on FIG. 8, the container 11a and head 23 are preferably provided with cooperating rabbeted edges as at 24. Alternatively, the head may be permanently joined to the container by ultrasonic sealing or welding, in which case, as shown particularly on FIG. 7, the head 23a and container 11b have axially telescoping portions which are respectively formed with a circumferential groove and a mating rib of V-shaped cross-section, as at 25, so as to channel the sound waves to the desired joint or seal area. The head 23 or 23a includes a neck 12a which, as before, may be formed with external threads 13a for the removable attachment of a cap thereon. A partition 26 extending across the head 23 or 23a so as to be disposed adjacent the inner end of the wick member 17a which is mounted in the neck 12a and projects from the latter. The wick member 17a may be mounted directly within the neck 12a, as shown on FIGS. 7 and 8, or the wick member may be held in a sleeve or holder 18a which is frictionally retained in the neck 12a to facilitate the removal and cleaning of the wick member.

The partition 26 adjacent the inner end of wick member 17a has a minute opening 27 therein, for example, an opening with a diameter of .013 inch, so that normally the surface tension of the liquid medicinal substance L is sufficient to prevent the flow of the liquid substance through opening 27 and into wick 17a for capillary transmission by the latter to its exposed or projecting tip. However, when the resiliently deformable casing 11a is squeezed, the increased pressure within the casing drives the liquid medicinal substance through opening 27 for transmission by wick 17a to the affected skin area.

As in the first described embodiment of the invention, the wick member 17a preferably has a polygonal crosssection so as to define passages a (FIGS. 7 and 8) between the flat sides of the wick member and the cylindrical surface of the neck 23 or 23a or of the sleeve 18a in which the wick member is mounted. Such passages 20a serve the dual function of venting the interior of casing 11a to the atmosphere, by way of the opening 27, thereby permitting the casing 11a to resiliently return to its original shape after the squeezing thereof, and further of permitting additional flow of the liquid medicinal substance through the passages 20a around wick member 17a when the casing 11a is squeezed extensively. Thus, the rate of fiow of the antiseptic solution or other liquid medicinal substance through and over the Wick member to the affected skin area can be regulated or controlled by varying the degree of squeezing of the resiliently deformable casing.

As shown on FIGS. 6 and 7, the neck 12a may be formed with an internal shoulder 28 spaced from the partition 26 so as to limit the insertion of the wick member 17a and sleeve 18a, or of the wick member alone, into the neck 12a, and thereby ensure that a space 29 will remain between the inner end of the wick member and the partition 26. Such space 29 ensures that the wicking or capillary action of the wick member 17a will not be effective to draw the liquid medicinal substance through the opening 27 of partition 26 when the casing is not being squeezed. However, as shown on FIG. 8, the wick member 17a may be inserted in the neck 12a so as to abut directly against the partition 26 without inadvertently drawing liquid through the opening 27 provided that the partition 26 is of sufiicient thickness to maintain spacing between the meniscus of the liquid extending across the inner end of opening 27 and the adjacent inner end surface of the wick member.

The liquid medicinal substance contained in the applicators embodying this invention may have any desired formulation provided that the same does not result in clogging of the wick member. Where the liquid medicinal substance is an antiseptic solution, it is particularly desirable that such solution include substantial amounts of acetone or some other similar solvent for grease, oil and dirt, thereby to enhance the cleansing action of the applicator when the wick member is used for scrubbing or cleaning a scrape, cut or other wound to which the antiseptic solution is being applied. The following specific examples of antiseptic solutions are merely illustrative of liquid medicinal substances that may be employed in applicators embodying this invention.

Example I An antiseptic solution consisting of, for each cc. of volume thereof, 0.1 gram thimerosal, 52.5 cc. alcohol, 15 cc. acetone, 0.1 gram mono-ethanol amine, and the balance distilled water;

Example 11 An antiseptic solution consisting of, for each 100 cc. of volume thereof, 2 grams merbromin, 10 cc. acetone, 0.25 gram iso-octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol, and the balance distilled water.

Example III An antiseptic solution consisting of, by volume, 0.5% methyldenzethonium chloride, 4.0% alcohol, 0.35% isooctylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol, 0.1% chlorthymol, and 95.05% distilled water.

Example 1V An antiseptic solution consisting of, for each 100 cc. of volume thereof, 2 grams powdered iodine, 2.5 grams sodium iodide, 5 cc. acetone, 50 cc. alcohol, and the balance distilled water.

Although illustrative embodiments of this invention have been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawing, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention, except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A medicinal applicator comprising a hollow casing of resiliently deformable material having on opening at one end, a liquid medicinal substance contained in said casing, an absorbent wick member projecting axially through said opening and being frictionally retained in the latter for the capillary transmission of said liquid medicinal substance therethrough to a desired area of application at a flow rate which is accelerated by squeez ing of said resiliently deformable casing, and means which, together with the surface of said wick member, define passages therebetween extending along said Wick member to vent the interior of said casing to the atmosphere and to supplement the capillary transmission of said medicinal substance upon squeezing of the casing.

2. A medicinal applicator as in claim 1; wherein an absorbent body substantially fills the interior of said casing and has said liquid medicinal substance absorbed therein, said absorbent body extending into contact with the inner end of said wick member so that the-latter draws the liquid medicinal substance from the absorbent body.

3. A medicinal applicator as in claim 2; wherein said casing has internal ribs engageable with said absorbent body to apply relatively intensive pressure to localized portions of the absorbent body in response to squeezing of said casing.

4. A medicinal applicator according to claim 1;

wherein said means is constituted by a neck defining said opening of the casing, the cross-sectional configurations of said wick member and of the inner surface of said neck being substantially different to define said passages therebetween.

5. A medicinal applicator according to claim 1;

wherein said casing has a neck defining said opening at one end, and said means includes a tubular sleeve having said wick member extending therethrough, said sleeve being frictionally held in said neck and the cross sectional configurations of said wick memface tension of said liquid medicinal substance normally I prevents the flow thereof through said minute opening into said wick member and said passages and said flow is achieved only upon squeezing of said casing.

8. A medicinal applicator as in claim 7; wherein said minute opening has a diameter of approximately .013 inch.

9. A medicinal applicator as in claim 7; wherein said inner end of the wick member abuts against said partition.

10. A medicinal applicator as in claim 7; wherein said inner end of the wick member is spaced from said parti tion.

11. A medicinal applicator as in claim 1; wherein said liquid medicinal substance is an antiseptic solution consisting of, for each 100 cc. of volume thereof, 01 gram thimerosal, 52.5 cc. alcohol, 15 cc. acetone, 01 gram monoethanol amine, and the balance distilled water.

12. A medicinal applicator as in claim 1; wherein said liquid medicinal substance is an antiseptic solution consisting of, for each 100 cc. of volume, 2 grams merbromin, 10 cc. acetone, 0.25 gram iso-octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol, and the balance distilled water.

13. A medicinal applicator as in claim 1; wherein said liquid medicinal substance is an antiseptic solution consisting of 0.5% methyldenzethonium chloride, 4.0% alcohol, 0.35% iso-octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol, 0.1% chlorthymol, and 95.05% distilled water, all proportions being by volume.

14. A medicinal applicator as in claim 1; wherein said liquid medicinal substance is an antiseptic solution consisting of, for each 100 cc. of volume thereof, approximately 2 grams powdered iodine, 2.5 grams sodium iodide, 5 cc. acetone, 50 cc. alcohol, and the balance distilled water.

15. An applicator for a liquid medicinal substance comprising a hollow casing of resiliently deformable plastic material having an opening at one end and being adapted to contain a quantity of the liquid medicinal substance to be applied, an absorbent wick member projecting axially through said opening and being frictionally retained therein for the capillary transmission of liquid medicinal substance from within the casing to the outer ,endof said wick member for application to a desired area, and means which, together with thesurface of saidwick member, define passages therebetween-extending along said wick member to vent the interior of said casing to the atmos phere and to supplement the transmission by capillary action through the Wick member, said transmission of the liquid medicinal substance being accelerated by squeezing of said resiliently deformable casing.

16. An applicator according to claim 15; wherein said means is constituted by a neck defining said opening of the casing, the cross-sectional configurations of said wick member andof the inner surface of said neck being substantially difierent to define said passages therebctween. 17. An applicator according to claim 15; wherein said casing has a neck defining said opening at one end, and said means includes a tubular sleeve having said wick member extending therethrough, said sleeve being frictionally held in said neck and the cross-sectional configurations of said wick member and of the inner surface of said sleeve being substantially different to define said passages therebetween. 18. An applicator as in claim 15; wherein said casing contains an absorbent body adapted to be saturated with the liquid medicinal substance, and the inner end of said wick member extends into contact with said absorbentbody to receive the liquid medicinal substance therefrom.

19. An applicator as in claim 15; wherein said casing has a partition therein adjacent the inner end of said wick member, said partition having a minute opening therein through which liquid medicinal substance can fiow under the influence of an increased pressure in the casing resulting from squeezing of the latter.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,705,256 3/1929 Krusi 128-269 2,361,647 10/1944 Nyden 222-92 2,636,644 4/1953 Taylor 206--56 3,227,319 1/1966 Rosier 22292 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner. 

